Ankle-brace for skates.



DE WITT T. McLONEY.

ANKLE BRACE FOR SKATES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I1, I914.

Patented May 25, 1915.

umutoz DE WITTTHLMHGE' M LQNEY Gibbon,

THE NORRIS PETERS C0. PHOIO'LITHOU WASHINGTON. D c.

DE WITT TALMAG-E McLONEY, 0F FLORENCE, COLORADO.

ANKLE-BRACE FOR SKATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1915.

Application filed April 11, 1914. Serial No. 831,323.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, DE Wrr'r TALMAGE McLoNnY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Florence, in the county of Fremont and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ankle-Braces for Skates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in ice skates, and an object. thereof is the provision of a skate to the heel portion of which an ankle brace is connected.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a skate to the heel portion of which is connected an upwardly extending bar for engagement with the leg of the wearer of the skate, the bar having a fastening strap connected to its upper end, the fastening strap being adapted to encircle the leg so that the skate is securely fastened in position, and the ankle is also braced against turning. 7

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated, in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved device in use; Fig; 2 is a sideelevational view showing my improved brace connected to the heel portion of a skate; and Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the bracing bar.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a skate which may be of any desired construction, and 2 a bracing bar which is forked at its lower end to provide a pair of arms 3, the arms being directed laterally and pivotally connected to the heel portion of the skate as at 4:. The body portion of the bar 2 is disposed rearwardly of the skate and projects upwardly therefrom, the bar being twisted intermediate of its ends as at 5 so that one face of the bar is disposed toward the skate. The upper end of the bar is offset forwardly as at 6 so that the same is disposed in vertical alineinent with the rear portion of the heel plate 7 of the skate in a position for engagement back of the leg of the wearer of the skate. Connected to the upper extremity of the bar 2 is a flexible fastening strap 8, the strap 8 being provided with a suitable buckle 9 so that the same may be secured in position upon the leg.

In the practical use of my improved skate, the heel of the shoe is disposed upon the heel plate 7 of the skate in the usual manner, whereupon the ankle bracing bar 2 is moved to its vertical position and the fastening strap 8 is secured around the leg to fasten the skate to the shoe and to maintain the upper end of the bar 2 against the ankle of the leg to brace the same. When the skate is secured to the shoe and leg in this manner, accidental disengagement of the skate from the shoe is prevented, and the danger of the person wearing the skate from turning his ankle is minimized. It will, of course, be understood that the brace bar may be connected to roller skates and will be just as effective in this connection.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to secure and claim by Letters Patent, is

The combination with a skate, of an ankle bracing bar having its lower end laterally curved, the curved end being bifurcated to provide a pair of spaced arms, said arms being pivotally connected to the heel portion of the skate, the intermediate portion of the bar being offset inwardly and adapted to lie flat against the leg of the wearer, and attaching means carried by the upper portion of the bar.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

TALMAGE MoLONEY.

Witnesses:

J. P. NEWELL, LYNN SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

